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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26385775">Unlocked Door</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimifreed/pseuds/Mimifreed'>Mimifreed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Difference, Assertive Hermione, F/M, Gratuitous Smut, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hoemione, Hogwarts Eighth Year, One Shot, POV Remus Lupin, Professor Remus Lupin, Remus Lupin Lives, Shameless Smut, Teacher-Student Relationship, WAP, sadwolfboi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:56:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,698</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26385775</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimifreed/pseuds/Mimifreed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>(RL/HG) {oneshot} Remus was happy to resume his position as DADA professor after the battle, even more elated to reconnect with students he had grown close to. After months of private meetings with Hermione, he finally has to face that maybe his feelings are deeper than they should be as her professor.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger &amp; Remus Lupin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>249</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Best of Remione</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Unlocked Door</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I had a really terrible few days and it was putting me at a stall with my wip. Turns out, I just needed to write some smut. So, here you go. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was an odd sense of wholeness that accompanied being back at Hogwarts. Although the Battle had taken its toll on students, faculty, and the grounds alike, being back at the school felt <em>right</em>. Seeing the faces of students pass by, without the looming threat of war on their shoulders, felt good. Watching them take in the information and practice their defences, knowing they would hopefully not need them for any upcoming life or death situations, was almost calming. Being back at the only place Remus had ever<em> truly</em> been able to call home made him feel complete, as if things in the universe were <em>finally</em> as they should be.</p>
<p>His eyes scanned the faces of the students that had their heads buried in their parchments, scribbling down the notes he had put on the black board for them. It was the day after the full moon, and the students had become accustomed to the routine of it. They knew that he would be tired and more than likely would let a few extra things slide, not that many of them pushed that boundary. He felt bad, making them take notes, knowing that theoretical learning in defence was not the best way to learn it. But this month had been bad, taking extra effort to recover from, and his joints ached more than usual.</p>
<p>This particular class, he had a little more freedom with. It was much smaller than his others, only a dozen or so students that had returned to finish their Hogwarts education after the Battle. He had been overjoyed when Minerva offered him the position, taking it almost before the request left her lips. After everything that had happened, after everyone they had lost, he needed something to work on. Something to get his energy out and challenge his mind.</p>
<p>The "Eighth Year" students, as they had been deemed, all had an unfortunately advanced grasp on defensive magic. Most of the classes were spent in lecture, discussing theory and practicality of new spells. Hermione, for instance, had spent the entirety of the last class discussing theories that could strengthen basic shield charms, creating modifiers to encapsulate an entire person as opposed to just shielding them from one side.</p>
<p>She was brilliant and her ideas were sound. Though, she had always been clever, hadn't she?</p>
<p>Remus shook his head, banishing the slightly inappropriate thoughts that had begun to plague his mind sometime before the battle. Perhaps it was just the after effects of the moon getting to him, he hadn't gone on his usual long run before the transformation, but these risque thoughts about his favorite Gryffindor student was the only thing that made his return feel wrong.</p>
<p>He couldn't help but notice her, though. Fighting alongside a person changes you, seeing them defend the people around them with a resilience you had only read about, that changes you. Watching them as they face death by your side, unbridled and fierce, it brings a new respect to that person that you may not have had before.</p>
<p>But then, Remus had always respected Hermione.</p>
<p>It was an odd relationship the pair shared, that was certain. In the last year or two, Remus had found himself seeking the company of Hermione Granger far more than he cared to admit. He could talk to her about things no one seemed to care about, and she would laugh a bright smile that lit up her face, her eyes wrinkled and her nose crinkled and her curls would bounce about her shoulders and-</p>
<p>Remus gave a small shake to his head, pulling his eyes off of Hermione as she looked up at him from her notes, a perplexed look on her face. He offered her a small smile, a shake of his head to reassure her nothing was wrong, and looked back at the stack of fourth year essays that needed to be graded.</p>
<p>The small bell on his desk dinged, signifying the end of the class period and Remus dismissed the Eighth Years for the weekend, they all seemed happy that he didn't assign them any work to do over their days off. They had enough to deal with, and they could practice wordless incantations in their spare time if they wanted to, but he would touch on it more on Monday.</p>
<p>"Professor?"</p>
<p>Remus looked up from his desk at the sound of Hermione's voice, a smile pulling his lips to the side, "You know you don't have to call me Professor after class, Hermione. But, hello. What can I do for you?"</p>
<p>Hermione smiled and tucked a few stray curls behind her ear and Remus caught the scent of her shampoo- vanilla and jasmine. She reached into her book bag and pulled out a few battered books, handing them to him.</p>
<p>"Old habits," she said, the smile still on her face. "I've finished these, they were brilliant. It's really interesting the theories that Damocles Belby explored upon creating the Wolfsbane potion. It makes me wonder if those ideas could be applied to other transformative humans, Vampires, perhaps?"</p>
<p>"Transformative humans?" Remus mused.</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, effectively throwing the recently tucked curls out from behind her ear. "I'm not calling you a <em>beast</em>, Remus. That's ridiculous. You're the least <em>beastly</em> person I have ever met, you have your quills sorted by height."</p>
<p>She pointed to the quills that were lined up on his desk to emphasize her point. He chuckled, feigning offense. "My preference of how I like my quills sorted is what differentiates me from being a beast? You had better tell the Ministry that. They might get a whole new ranking system to their registry."</p>
<p>A wry smile pulled Hermione's mouth to the side and he couldn't help but laugh. That was another thing he had come to appreciate about her, her humor. He realized it was often overlooked, being bookish and thirsting for information certainly had that effect, he would know better than most. But Hermione truly had a good sense of humor, and he appreciated that she could give as well as take a joke.</p>
<p>"Shall I explain to them the very particular sorting you do to your collection of books as well?" she asked.</p>
<p>"Oh, I believe that would certainly be what marks me a beast."</p>
<p>Hermione laughed, slinging her bag over her shoulder again. "Oh yes, definitely. Nevermind the full moon," she waved her hand in the air between them. "They have seen <em>nothing</em> compared to the labeling system you have for the tins of tea in your cupboard."</p>
<p>"That's where I draw the line!" Remus said, "You can insult my quills, even poke fun at my librarian-esque bookshelf organization. But my tea?" Remus shook his head, blowing a low whistle through pursed lips, "Making fun of my tea will get you in trouble."</p>
<p>If he would have blinked, he was certain he would have missed the twinkle of mischief in her eye before it faded. "Get me in trouble? Remus, you should know by now that I enjoy a little trouble every now and again."</p>
<p>He watched as her tongue darted out to wet the swell of her bottom lip before tugging it between her teeth, a light pink tinge flushing her face. <em>Is she flirting?</em> Remus' eyes widened a fraction of an inch as interest settled into him.</p>
<p>"You shouldn't tell your Professors that you enjoy getting into trouble, Hermione. You could lose house points," Remus said, a smirk slowly creeping onto his face.</p>
<p>"I'm sure we could sort out a way to make them up," she replied. "I've got to go help Ron revise his Transfiguration essay, is it okay if I stop by later this evening and pick through your collection some more?"</p>
<p>"I've told you a dozen times, you are always welcome to my bookshelves."</p>
<p>Hermione sent him a beaming smile before spinning around and stepping across the classroom, her mane of curls bouncing behind her as she went.</p>
<p><em>She's a student, Remus. Get it together</em>, he chided himself, rubbing his temples as he took a deep breath.</p>
<p>Remus could feel the wolf, Moony, whine in protest. Moony often became irritated when Remus felt the need to remind himself that Hermione was a student. Even if she was <em>definitely</em> of age, and more than capable of making her own, adult decisions. She was still a student and pursuing anything with her would be inappropriate. Even if she smelled like vanilla and jasmine and something a little <em>sweeter</em> every time they spoke, she was a student. He shook his head in an attempt to banish her scent from his nostrils and sighed. It was going to be a long day.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Absorbed in his lesson plans for the following week, Remus had completely forgotten that Hermione had asked if she could come to his quarters. His head shot up when he heard the light knock on his door, his eyes searched for a clock. It was nearing eleven, far later than the usual time anyone visited him.</p>
<p>"Come in," he called from his desk in the living space, shuffling around the parchment to be a little more organized and lining up his quills on the surface.</p>
<p>"See?" Hermione's voice said, an amused undertone taking hold. "Always by height. If I didn't know any better, I would say you have a touch of OCD."</p>
<p>"OCD?" Remus asked, looking up from the quills.</p>
<p>"Obsessive Compulsive Disorder," she clarified. "It means you have a tendency for excessive orderliness and attention to detail. Not necessarily a bad thing, but should you ever see a muggle therapist, a mind healer, they may think you need to visit them frequently."</p>
<p>Remus bit back a smile, twisting his mouth to the side as he stood from his chair. "I'm sure there are far more pressing issues a muggle mind healer would want to address besides my excellent organizational skills."</p>
<p>Hermione set her bag on the floor next to the sofa and raised an eyebrow as she unfastened her cloak, "Is that so? Like what?"</p>
<p>Remus watched as she pulled her cloak off her shoulders, laying it neatly over the back of the chair before she made herself at home, moving to the opposite side of the room to where the tea service was set on a tray on the table. She was still in her uniform, but her shirt was untucked and her sleeves pushed up to her elbows, a look Remus knew she would <em>never</em> go to class in, despite many of the other students adorning this very same look to all of their lessons.</p>
<p>Hermione used her wand to fill the pot and heat the water, opening the cupboard above to pick out which tea she wanted to sip on. He liked that she was so comfortable here, he had made sure to make it known at the beginning of the term that once they were out of class, she was welcome any time, and what was his was hers to take as well.</p>
<p>Remus stepped behind Hermione, reaching up to the top shelf to pull down a tin of a new tea he had gotten on his last trip to Hogsmeade. He handed her the tin watching as she smiled, her fingers running over the label.</p>
<p>"A floral blend?" she asked, "That doesn't seem like you."</p>
<p>"No, but you'll enjoy it," Remus said.</p>
<p>Hermione hummed her approval upon opening the tin and smelling the contents. She pulled a bag out, placing one in a mug and looked at him with an eyebrow raised in question. Remus shook his head, putting the tin back on the top shelf before pulling down his favorite night time tea, pulling a bag from the tin before placing it back in it's spot on the shelf.</p>
<p>"You still haven't answered my question," Hermione said, pouring the steaming water into both their mugs before walking over to the chair and slipping her shoes off, folding her legs under herself as she sat.</p>
<p>"Pressing issues of my brain?" Remus asked, chuckling as he sat on the couch. "Well, I suppose the most glaring would be the voices."</p>
<p>"The voices?"</p>
<p>Remus nodded, "Having a wolf in your head that talks to you for thirty five years would probably be very concerning for a muggle mind healer. I imagine I'd be institutionalized quite rapidly after finding that out."</p>
<p>Hermione laughed, her shoulders shaking as she sipped at her tea. "Yes, I can see why muggles might find that problematic."</p>
<p>The pair talked for quite some time, which didn't bother Remus one bit. Of course, he had work to finish up, essays to grade and practical lessons to plan out… He was exhausted from the moon the night before, but he could sit and listen to her talk all night. She had once divulged that her friends had the habit of making her feel as if she talked too much, Remus didn't believe that though. Hermione never spoke for the purpose of filling the air, she always had something important or clever to say. He happened to think she was a wonderful conversationalist and he could, and had, spent hours talking with her over the years.</p>
<p>After a while of discussing her theories of a better way to plant and care for Mandrakes, so that their cries would be less likely to paralyze or kill, she finally made her way off the chair and to the bookshelves, her fingers skimming over the spines as she decided what books to take from him next.</p>
<p>"Have you got anything on Vampires?" she asked, turning a bit to look over her shoulder at him.</p>
<p>"Of course," Remus said, standing from his relaxed position on the couch to stand by her at the bookshelves. He kneeled down next to her, looking for a particularly interesting text he thought she might enjoy. He lightly tapped her calf, a silent request for her to move to the side a bit. He felt her skirt flutter next to him as she shifted and as he took in a breath he paused, his hand hovering just above the spine of the book.</p>
<p>His nostrils flared of their own accord, his eyes fluttering a bit as he took in the sweet scent that seemed to accompany her every time she was around him. His hand landed on the spine of the book, his eyes drifting to the side and he <em>swore</em> he saw her shift, clamping her thighs together a bit tighter.</p>
<p>This was not good. This was decidedly and unequivocally <em>not good</em>. He nearly flinched at the way Moony howled in his mind, cheering as the sweet scent of Hermione was placed. The scent he hadn't been able to figure out, hadn't been able to put his finger on… A pheromone he could only associate with the tightening of his trousers and the flush that was creeping into his chest.</p>
<p><em>A student, Remus. She's a </em>student<em> you bloody old pervert.</em></p>
<p><em>A beautiful, intelligent, clever, cheeky woman, </em>Moony, who sounded suspiciously like Sirius answered his thoughts.</p>
<p>
  <em>But a student, nonetheless.</em>
</p>
<p>"Remus?" Hermione's voice came from above him.</p>
<p>She shifted again, the scent filling his nostrils and addling his brain. Hermione knelt down next to him, resting her hand over his on top the leather spine of the book. Her hand was soft and cool against his always warm skin, and her eyes roamed across his face, her brows pulled together in concern.</p>
<p>"Are you all right?" she asked, her breath washing over the side of his neck, nearly causing him to pass out right there.</p>
<p>"I'm fine," Remus answered, his voice far more gruff than he would have liked. He cleared his throat, pulling the book from the spot on the shelf and handing it to her as he stood. "Just tired, the moon was last night."</p>
<p>"I know," Hermione said, smiling as she accepted the book and tucked a curl behind her ear. "I'll leave you alone, now. I've overstayed."</p>
<p>"No," Remus said, his hand falling onto her forearm. "You haven't. I just-</p>
<p>"I get it," Hermione assured him, giving his hand a light squeeze and moving away from the shelves. She grabbed her bag from the floor, stuffing the book inside of it and smiled at him. "I'll see you around this weekend?"</p>
<p>Remus nodded, "I'll be around."</p>
<p>"Good." Hermione made her way to the door and looked over at him as her hand hovered above the knob, "Oh, Remus?"</p>
<p>"Yes?"</p>
<p>"Get some rest, you look knackered."</p>
<p>"Insulting your professor and out after curfew? Tsk tsk, I'm sorry Miss Granger, but I may have to deduct points for your cheek," Remus answered.</p>
<p>"Then I'd have to remind you, <em>professor</em>, I'm an adult eighth year student, I don't have a curfew."</p>
<p>Remus watched as she wet her lips, the pink tip of her tongue swiping across the swell of her bottom lip just before she pulled it between her teeth. He groaned inwardly, if she didn't stop doing that, he was <em>really</em> going to have a problem. Her eyes dipped briefly, resting on his lips before darting back up his face. Remus swallowed, trying to get some moisture into his mouth to form a coherent sentence.</p>
<p>"Goodnight, Hermione." He ground out, hoping it didn't sound too strained.</p>
<p>Hermione smirked at him, "Goodnight."</p>
<p>The moment the door closed behind her, Remus fell onto the couch, sprawling out and taking a deep breath. If he had the energy to take a cold shower right now, he would have. How was it that an innocent conversation about Mandrakes turned into his brain becoming soaked in the scent of her?</p>
<p>
  <em>Because your brain wasn't the only thing soaked in this room, idiot.</em>
</p>
<p>Remus' head fell back, hitting the hard arm of the sofa and he groaned. He couldn't get her scent out of his nose, the entire room positively reeked of her. He felt his trousers tighten even more as he tried to banish the thoughts swirling around in his mind. The tip of her tongue wetting her lips, to press them against his. That perfect pout of hers wrapped around him with his hands sunk deep into the vanilla scented curls. The <em>fucking smell</em> of her.</p>
<p>His hand moved to the buckle of trousers and rested on it, his mind at war with itself as he tried desperately to think of something, <em>anything</em> besides Hermione and the smell that she left behind. Moony cheered in his head as his hand undid the buckle and pushed his trousers and shorts past his hips. He groaned, both inwardly and outwardly as his fingers wrapped around his length, feeling himself twitch against his palm.</p>
<p><em>You want her, you know you want her. She wants you too, it's evident. Stop fucking around and take her! </em>Moony screamed at him, pacing restlessly in his head.</p>
<p>
  <em>She's a student! I can't. It's not appropriate.</em>
</p>
<p><em>I can see the same thing you can, you blithering idiot. I can </em>feel<em> it, too! It's not any more inappropriate than having a wank to her!</em></p>
<p>Remus groaned again, frustrated with himself, with Moony. <em>Shut up, you mangy mutt.</em></p>
<p>He could hear Moony snarl a laugh as more images of Hermione on her knees, bent over a chair, on her back, or in the shower, surfaced in his mind. Remus closed his eyes tightly, taking in deep breaths as he pumped his fist back and forth. He felt his breathing go ragged, his balls tightening as his hips thrust upward to meet his own hand. He sank his teeth into his bottom lip as he teetered on the edge, his other hand over his face as he quickened the pace of his fist.</p>
<p>"Hey Remus, are you still awake? I forgot my- Oh. <em>Oh."</em></p>
<p>Remus' eyes snapped open just as his thumb swiped the vein on the underside of his cock, pulling him to his end with a stifled cry.</p>
<p>He closed his eyes, his face reddening, as he quickly shoved himself back into his trousers and scrambled to find his wand to clean himself up. Before he could wrap his fingers around the cypress wood, he felt the sticky liquid disappear from his hand and he looked up, mortified to see Hermione with her wand out, her hand on the cloak that was thrown over the back of the chair.</p>
<p>He stared at her, no idea what to say. Should he apologize? Does he tell her to go away?</p>
<p><em>Or to stay</em>?</p>
<p>He shook his head, quickly banishing the traitorous thoughts that Moony was supplying him.</p>
<p>"Hermione, I- I can explain," he stammered, knowing he must sound like a <em>total</em> idiot.</p>
<p>She smiled at him, a small, kind smile that he didn't understand. She pulled the cloak off the back of the chair and fastened it over her shoulders before slipping her wand in its pocket. "You don't need to explain anything. I came in without waiting for you to answer, I thought maybe you had already gone to bed and I wanted to slip in and grab my cloak…"</p>
<p>"I'm… I am <em>so</em> sorry. I don't-</p>
<p>Hermione held up her hand to cut him off, a confidence floating in the air around her, despite the pink in her cheeks. "Really, Remus. You don't have to justify anything, it's perfectly natural. Just maybe next time, lock your door beforehand," she suggested.</p>
<p>She sent him another smile before turning on her heel and walking out the door, he let out a mirthless puff of air when he heard the lock click into place. How in the <em>hell</em> was he supposed to face her <em>in class</em> on Monday?</p>
<hr/>
<p>When Hermione came into class late on Monday afternoon, Remus knew he had monumentally fucked up. He was <em>sure</em> she was probably scarred from walking in on her professor tossing himself off on his sofa in his sitting room. Probably completely <em>mortified</em> that he had climaxed the minute his eyes landed on her.</p>
<p>Remus certainly was.</p>
<p>The first ten minutes of class, he tried to focus and get through his lecture, his eyes roaming around to see the bored faces of his students. He obviously wasn't as engaging today as he liked to think he normally was, even Harry and Ron seemed utterly exhausted by his ramblings today.</p>
<p>He was on the verge of calling it quits, just dismissing the class early and letting them have the rest of the period to work on whatever they wanted to. He couldn't concentrate enough to be effective today. His mind was racing of all the possibilities of what would happen if she had gone to Minerva. Maybe she had decided to drop his class, save them both some embarrassment so she wouldn't have to be seated in the second row from the front, in the center, directly in his line of sight.</p>
<p>His ears perked up when he heard the door to the classroom open and then shut again, a familiar pair of footsteps coming into the room.</p>
<p>"Sorry I'm late Professor," Hermione said, adjusting the strap on her bag.</p>
<p>"It's fine, Hermione. Not a problem, take your seat." Remus motioned to the spot she normally sat, and he furrowed her brows at her as she smiled at him and took her seat, pulling her ink and quill out along with some parchment.</p>
<p>He rubbed at his chin, tapping his finger against his lips a moment before clearing his throat and continuing on with the lecture he was giving about the creation of the Imperturbable Charm and its uses in Defensive and Offensive situations.</p>
<p>As the class wore on, Hermione seemed… <em>Normal</em>. As if nothing had even happened. She asked questions, participated in discussions, made a few clever jokes that he was sure no one understood but him… She was, as always, the model student, giving nothing away to hint at any awkwardness she may have been feeling.</p>
<p>Remus, on the other hand, was practically <em>buzzing</em> with shame. He couldn't look directly at her, he stammered through nearly every question she asked and at one point, even Neville had asked him if he was all right. He spent the entire double period chastising himself, disgusted with the fact that he couldn't focus on anything but <em>her</em> and the jasmine and vanilla scent that kept wafting toward him.</p>
<p>
  <em>Four days out from the full moon, Moony. Quiet down!</em>
</p>
<p>He could feel the aggravation rolling off the wolf in his mind, the low whining as he paced circles in his head.</p>
<p>Finally, <em>mercifully</em>, the class ended and Remus dismissed the students. He hurriedly moved back toward his desk, packing up the essays that needed to be graded and thanked his lucky stars that there were no more classes today. He needed to be alone, to figure out how to clear his mind of Hermione Granger.</p>
<p>Apparently, she had other plans.</p>
<p>"Remus?" Hermione asked, stepping up to his desk.</p>
<p>Remus looked up from the battered briefcase that he was packing his things into, taking a deep breath he tried (and failed) to steel himself, "Hermione?"</p>
<p>She held out the thick book on Vampires she had borrowed from him Friday night, a smile on her face. When he didn't immediately take it from her grasp, she pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows at him, "I finished it. That's why I was late. I got caught up in the library and didn't realize what time it was," she explained.</p>
<p>"This book is… Hermione, this book is well over a thousand pages. You <em>finished</em> it?"</p>
<p>She smirked, nodding as he took the book from her. "One thousand six hundred and forty two pages, not including the table of contents, of course."</p>
<p>"Of course," Remus nodded.</p>
<p>"Have you got plans after dinner? I'd like to come pick through your collection a bit more, see if you have anything a little more challenging…"</p>
<p>"More challenging than an ancient and boring sixteen hundred page book on the evolution of Vampires?" Remus laughed.</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, "I'm sure you've got something a little more <em>provocative</em> that you can dig up?"</p>
<p>Remus' mouth went dry as he tried to come up with a good enough reason to tell her no, "I don't know if that's a good idea, Hermione."</p>
<p>She tilted her head as she looked at him, folding her arms over her chest and tapping her fingers against her bicep, "Why not? You said I was always welcome to go through your bookshelves."</p>
<p>Remus resisted the urge to groan as she used his own words against him. He looked at her while she watched him expectantly, waiting for a good answer. Finally, he sighed in defeat, not able to come up with anything, "After dinner tonight, then?"</p>
<p>Hermione smiled, nodding at him, "I'll knock this time," she said, sending him a wink before spinning around and heading through the classroom and out the door.</p>
<p>
  <em>Hermione Granger is going to be the death of me.</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Remus paced the floor in his sitting room for forty minutes after dinner. Hermione hadn't specified what time she would be coming, and he felt restless. He had failed at trying to distract himself by grading the essays his second years turned in this morning, and now resorted to anxiously moving about his quarters as he rehearsed what he would tell her.</p>
<p>
  <em>We can't have anymore private meetings in my quarters, Hermione. It's inappropriate and unprofessional of me to allow a student preferential treatment simply because I know them personally. I apologize and you are still welcome to borrow from my personal library but I request that you bring a fellow student with you when you do.</em>
</p>
<p>Even as he said the words in his head, he knew it sounded ridiculous and Hermione would see straight through it. She <em>had</em> to know he was humiliated by his own behavior, that he had even thought for a <em>second</em> that it was okay to have those thoughts of her while the door was unlocked- or <em>at all</em>.</p>
<p>She was Hermione Granger. Brightest Witch of Her Age, Gryffindor's Golden Girl, War Heroine, Beacon of Hope for all future muggleborns! She was on the path to enter the Ministry this time next year and take the place by storm. If she worked at it, within the next ten years she would have Kingley's job as Minister.</p>
<p>And Remus was just a ruddy old Werewolf who taught Defence Against the Dark Arts and barely had enough money to cover the cost of his Wolfsbane Potion. A tired and broken almost <em>forty</em> year old man who had feelings for a <em>student</em> that was half his age! There was nothing good that could come of this, he would be a stain on her reputation before she even had the chance to expand to her full potential. No, Remus wouldn't allow himself to be the reason Hermione was kept from doing amazing things.</p>
<p>"Your ears are practically smoking from how hard you're thinking, Remus."</p>
<p>Remus spun around, stunned to see Hermione standing at the entrance of the living room. She was wearing her shirt untucked again, her tie was missing and the top few buttons of her shirt had been undone. She had knee high socks on today, instead of the usual opaque black stockings that she wore and her hair was pulled into a low bun on the nape of her neck, her wand shoved through it. A few curls flew around her face, pulled loose from the bun and Remus had to stifle the groan that rumbled in his chest.</p>
<p>She looked beautiful, of course she did, Hermione always looked beautiful. But when she was like this, slightly disheveled and wearing that blasted skirt of hers that must have been from a few years ago because it was a few inches shorter than any of the others she owned… <em>Merlin, help me</em>.</p>
<p>"I knocked, for the record." Hermione said, "You didn't answer so I peeked in, saw you pacing. Is everything okay?"</p>
<p><em>No. Everything is definitely </em>not<em> okay. </em>"Of course," Remus answered. "Sorry, I erm… I got caught up thinking about.. Erm… lesson plans?"</p>
<p>"Lesson plans?" Hermione asked, an eyebrow arching up as she looked at him skeptically.</p>
<p>"...Yes?"</p>
<p>"Are you asking me or telling me?"</p>
<p>Remus shifted his weight from foot to foot and sighed, "Listen, Hermione we need to-</p>
<p>"Wait," she said, putting a hand up to cut him off before he could continue. "Remus, let me say something first, if you please?"</p>
<p>Remus stared at her for a moment before sighing in defeat, he nodded, "Yeah. Of course, go ahead."</p>
<p>He braced himself, waiting for her to scream at him, to tell him that he was disgusting. To tell him that she had told Minerva what she saw and that Minerva would be by later to relieve him of his teaching duties. He waited for her to say how embarrassed she was for him, how pathetic he was for mooning after a student and how someone like her, someone with so much to look forward to in her young life, would never entertain the idea of being attracted to a washed up werewolf.</p>
<p>Hermione stepped forward, closing in on him and didn't speak until she was within his personal space, the toes of her shoes nearly touching his. She looked up at him, studying his face for a moment before she finally spoke, "The other night could have gone a much different way-</p>
<p>"I know, Hermione. I know. I am <em>so </em>sorry that you saw that," Remus interrupted, his heart racing against his chest as his shoulders slumped forward a bit, he closed his eyes in defeat.</p>
<p>"I'm not."</p>
<p>Remus' brows knitted together and he slowly opened his eyes and stared at her, absolutely perplexed, "What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"I mean, I'm not sorry." Hermione said, "Am I wrong by inferring that those <em>actions</em> were caused by mutual attraction between us?"</p>
<p>"I shouldn't have… Wait. Mutual?"</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, a few more curls falling out to frame her face. "Mutual."</p>
<p>"What do you mean, <em>mutual</em>?" Remus asked, his mind racing as confusion clouded any sensical thoughts he may have been able to make.</p>
<p>"Do you not understand what the word itself means or the context in which I'm using it?"</p>
<p>Remus snorted at her cheekiness, "The context."</p>
<p>Hermione huffed a breath and rolled her eyes, "You know, for as intelligent of a man you are, you certainly haven't been able to pick up on passes made by the opposite sex. I've been trying to get your attention for months, Remus."</p>
<p>"M-months?"</p>
<p>Hermione hummed, nodding her head. "Months. And you haven't picked up on it, or so I thought. I kind of just assumed you wrote me off as a silly school girl with a crush. Apparently, I was wrong."</p>
<p>"A crush?"</p>
<p>"You really aren't helping yourself right now," she mused. "I like you, Remus."</p>
<p>Finally, something clicked into place at her very bold statement and he shook his head, taking a step back, "Hermione, it's inappropriate, I'm your <em>professor</em>!"</p>
<p>"For less than two more months," she said. "And for that matter, I call you by your first name. I'm fairly certain that would qualify as inappropriate as well."</p>
<p>"It's not the same thing! Other students call me by my first name, as well!"</p>
<p>"That may be true, but do you keep special blends of tea in your cupboards for other students?"</p>
<p>Remus took a step back, shaking his head. "No, no. This is… It's <em>wrong</em> Hermione. I'm twice your age!"</p>
<p>"I'm of age, I can decide if that's something that puts me off or doesn't. And for the record, I don't care," she said. "And before you even <em>try</em> to bring it up, no. It doesn't bother me in the least that you're a werewolf."</p>
<p>"It should!"</p>
<p>"Why?" she asked, "Because it bothers you?"</p>
<p>"Yes!" Remus said, throwing his hands into the air before scrubbing his face with them.</p>
<p>Hermione took another step forward, her eyes meeting his. "Remus, we almost <em>died</em> a year ago. I'm not going to let something as trivial as an infection that turns you into something else once a month affect my feelings or thoughts for you. Life is short, we were made very aware of that fact not very long ago. I'm not going to waste time tiptoeing around what I want."</p>
<p>"What you want," Remus repeated.</p>
<p>"You are not this dim, I <em>know </em>you are not this dim!" she muttered, stepping closer and pushing up onto her toes, her lips a few inches from his. "You, Remus. I want you."</p>
<p>The very confused side of his mind wanted to ask her why, but Moony stepped in, taking over and shoving him forward. Remus' lips crashed down onto Hermione's, his arms snaking around her back as he pulled her flush against his chest. He was terrified, somewhere inside, that she would regret this later on. But the sound that escaped her throat as her lips parted, buried that thought quickly.</p>
<p>He pushed his tongue past her lips and roamed her mouth, her tongue sliding across his as they danced for dominance between their mouths. She kissed him back with fervor, her lips soft and plump against his, her skin soft against his stubble. He was intoxicated by the feel of her, by the vanilla and jasmine scent of her, by the floral tea that he could still taste on her tongue. He felt a low sound rumble his chest as her fingernails grazed the nape of his neck, causing gooseflesh to pimple across his skin and the blood in his veins rushed south.</p>
<p>Remus pulled away from her mouth, his lungs burning for air as he kissed his way across her jaw, nipping at a tender spot beneath her ear that elicited a mewling sound from Hermione that set his nerve endings on fire. He could feel Moony screaming in triumph in his mind, cheering in absolute elation.</p>
<p>Hermione wrapped her arms around him even tighter and he couldn't stop his hands from roaming over her body. He pulled on the hem of her shirt as his lips found hers again and he felt her smile into his kiss as he pushed the fabric up to feel her skin against his hands. She felt cool compared to his overheated body, his hands moving across the flat of her stomach and up her sides, coming to rest on her back just below the clasp of her bra.</p>
<p>He shuffled backward, pulling her with him and falling onto the couch when the backs of his legs met the cushions. Hermione climbed into his lap, holding his face in her hands as she looked down at him, her knees on either side of his thighs.</p>
<p>"Merlin, you are <em>beautiful</em>," Remus whispered, his eyes roaming her face. Her kiss bruised lips swollen and her face slightly flushed making the smattering of freckles across her nose stand out even more.</p>
<p>Hermione smiled, and <em>fuck</em> if he couldn't look at her smile all day. She leaned into him, pressing her lips against his in a sweet kiss before pulling away again, "So are you," she whispered, the words feeling intense coming from her.</p>
<p>Suddenly, she stood up, and Remus nearly whined from the loss of her weight on him. Hermione smirked as she looked into his lap and he moved to adjust himself. She swatted at his hands and sank to her knees, reaching for the buckle of his belt.</p>
<p>"Hermione if you… We don't have to-</p>
<p>"I want to," she said. "Believe me, I want to."</p>
<p>Remus swallowed hard, his mouth becoming very dry as he realized what was happening. His eyes went large as her hands pulled at his trousers, urging his hips upward so that she could slide them down, effectively freeing him from his shorts. Hermione looked up at him with her eyebrows raised and he hoped to god that was a good thing. He let out a low hiss when her fingers wrapped around his length, pumping him a few times while twisting her wrist.</p>
<p>He closed his eyes, trying to gather his wits about him. It had been far too long since he'd been intimate with another, and Hermione was quickly learning what elicited the best response from him.</p>
<p>Remus had just stifled the heated thumping in his brain when he felt a new sensation, hot and wet envelop him. His eyes snapped open as Hermione's cheeks hollowed, her eyes looking up to him through her lashes. Whatever he had fantasized this would look like was beat to hell by the actual sight of it. Her tongue swirled around the head of his cock and he gripped the arm of the couch, his nails digging into the fabric as he tried to restrain himself from thrusting into her mouth.</p>
<p>Hermione released the grip on his thigh with her left hand and reached up to grab his wrist, prying his hand from the upholstery and guiding it to her hair. Just as his fingers sank into her curls, lightly scraping her scalp, she hummed in approval and his hips bucked forward of their own accord.</p>
<p>"Hermione I- <em>unghh</em>-<em> fuck!</em>" Remus cursed as his head lolled back, smacking onto the back of the couch, his other hand sinking into her curls on the other side of her head as his hips bucked forward again.</p>
<p>She pulled her mouth off of him and stroked him a few times, "I can stop, if you want me to?"</p>
<p>"N-no," he stammered, blinking rapidly as he stared up at the ceiling, trying to collect his thoughts. "I just… I need to cool down a moment. It's… It's been awhile."</p>
<p>He felt her hands press into his thighs again as she pushed herself up to her feet. Hermione stepped forward, settling her knees on either side of his thighs again and sat on his lap, his cock pressed between them as she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. His tongue sank into her mouth, seeking out the taste of himself on hers as his hands roamed over her backside. His fingertips grazed the skin on the backs of her thighs and she moaned into his mouth.</p>
<p>Remus pushed his hand between them, dipping it beneath her skirt and massaged the inside of her thigh. She whined and he chuckled, pushing his hand forward to cup her through her knickers. The feel of the dampened lace against his fingers made his eyes roll into the back of his head.</p>
<p>Remus broke away from the kiss, pressing his lips to her throat, sucking on the skin that met her collarbone, "Your scent is…" he took a long, deep breath through his nose before blowing it back out against her throat. "Insanely sweet."</p>
<p>"I'll take it as a compliment," she said in a breathy whisper.</p>
<p>"It's meant to be," he mumbled into her throat.</p>
<p>He ran his fingers over the soaked material a few times, delighting in the squirm of her weight in his lap, before finally pushing the lace to the side and running his fingers through her folds. He groaned as she sucked at his pulse point, gasping into his throat as he pushed one finger, and then another into her heat with ease.</p>
<p>Hermione rocked forward into his hand, begging for friction as he swiped against her clit with his thumb a few times. He began to move his fingers, pumping them in and out of her while rubbing circles over the bundle of nerves with the pad of his thumb. His other hand left her backside to snake up her shirt and under the fabric of her bra, massaging her breast as he continued to crook his fingers inside of her.</p>
<p>Her hands left the hair on the nape of his neck and moved to her shirt, pulling it apart without a care of if it would damage the buttons, and frankly, Remus didn't care either. She shrugged the white button down off her shoulders and reached behind her to unbuckle her bra, sliding it off her arms and tossing it to the side.</p>
<p>Remus stared at her bare chest, marveling at the perfection of her. From the slight droop of her breasts to the small freckles that peppered across her chest, the scarring that ran up her side, curving under her left breast and ending at her sternum. Remus leaned forward, kissing the scar and trailing his tongue across it as he made his way over to the breast he wasn't massagaing with his hand.</p>
<p>"What's this from?" he breathed, his tongue trailing under her left breast before coming up to circle around her nipple.</p>
<p>"Dolohov, end of fifth year. You were there, don't you remember?" Hermione breathed into his hair as she arched her back, moaning loudly as he changed the pace of the fingers inside of her.</p>
<p>"The Ministry," he ground out, taking her nipple into his mouth, giving it a light suck as he pinched the other between his thumb and forefinger.</p>
<p>"Yes," she nodded, "Yes, that's it. <em>God, yes</em>."</p>
<p>He chuckled, they certainly weren't talking about her scarring anymore. Remus looked up at her and saw she had her teeth sunk into her lip, her head lolled to the side as her hips bucked forward onto his hand. She moaned loudly and he could feel her inner walls clamp onto his fingers.</p>
<p>"Are you going to come undone for me, love? Right here in my lap?" he asked, his voice husky as he looked at her.</p>
<p>"I will come undone for you anywhere, Remus Lupin. Just <em>please</em> <em>don't stop</em>."</p>
<p>Remus took that as his cue to quicken his pace, a sentiment that was met with a cry out as her walls clamped around him again, her hip bucking wildly into his his hand as her arms wrapped around his head, pulling him into her chest as she rode out her climax on his his fingers.</p>
<p>He continued stroking her until she came down from her high, her chest heaving in deep breaths. She let out a tiny gasp when his fingers slipped from her and she surged forward to claim his lips. After a few moments, she stood, pushing her skirt up and hooking her thumbs into the elastic of her knickers, pulling them down her legs and kicking them off to the side.</p>
<p>Hermione climbed back on top of him, yanking at his jumper to pull it over his head. Once the fabric hit the floor, she stared at his chest and abdomen, running her hands over the dozens of scars that lined his body.</p>
<p>"I know," he said, looking away from her and desperately wishing his wand would have been in reach to dim the lights. "I know it's-</p>
<p>Hermione placed a finger against his lips to silence him, pulling it away only to press her lips against his, "Beautiful," she whispered. Her hand lingered on the side of his face, her thumb tracing one of the scars beneath his eye. "Absolutely beautiful."</p>
<p>Remus stared up at her, looking for the words to say. How to tell her that he's wanted her for over a year, how to tell her that the reason he couldn't marry Tonks was because he couldn't stop thinking of Hermione... How could he admit, out loud, that he had been wanting this for longer than he felt was right. That her body was a <em>goddamn</em> temple that he wanted to worship every day. That her mind was the most brilliant mind of anyone he had ever known, of anyone he had ever <em>heard</em> of. This woman in his lap would change the world, and he wanted to be there to watch it happen.</p>
<p>Just as Remus opened his mouth to attempt a reply he felt her fingers wrap around his cock as she leaned forward, lining herself up with him. Hermione sank down onto him slowly, taking his stiff length to the hilt and he groaned loudly as their bodies joined. She stilled above him for a moment, her breath shaking against his chest. Slowly, she began to roll her hips, lifting them slightly as she rocked against him.</p>
<p>He was lost in the feel of her. The breathy moans and slight whines as she picked up her pace, her fingernails digging into his shoulders, leaving crescent shaped indents in his skin. He sank his hand into her hair, pulling out the wand that had attempted to keep the curls at bay. His fingers twisted into her curls as they fell down her back, his other hand gripping her hip as she ground down onto him.</p>
<p>Remus moved forward, running his tongue along the column of her throat and grazing his teeth over her collar bone. He wanted to taste every inch of her, to claim every bit of her as his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her elbows digging into his shoulders as his other hand fell to her hips, gripping her as he helped her bounce above him, groaning a long string of swear words into the delicate skin of her breasts.</p>
<p>"Remus, I…" Hermione trailed off, moaning incoherent words as one of his hands left her hips to dip between them, circling her clit as he bucked harder into her from beneath, picking up the pace to pull them both over the edge.</p>
<p>He could feel her thighs shaking against his, could feel the fluttering of her inner walls as they clamped onto him, pulling him deeper into her. He shifted, sinking lower onto the cushions of the sofa, allowing him to take more control. His nostrils flared with the sweet scent of her, his ears ringing with the sound of their flesh slapping together, of the sound of her slick coating him as he pumped into her.</p>
<p>Remus felt her clench down on him, her thighs clamping as her back stiffened into an arch, a loud cry pulling from her throat as she tumbled over the edge again, crying his name like a mantra. He lasted only a few more thrusts before finally following her over the edge, her inner walls pulsing around him, her lips moving against the side of his face.</p>
<p>As they both came down from their high and he softened enough to slip from her, she sighed, her weight sagging against him. His hands danced along her spine, playing with the ends of her hair as they collected their breath and tried to find the words to say.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Remus was worried that the next class he held with the Eighth Year students would bring the same bout of awkwardness for him as it had before. He watched as the students filtered in the classroom on Wednesday afternoon, everyone seeming to be in high spirits. Ron and Harry walked on either side of Hermione, the group of them laughing about something Ron had said. Remus' eyes roamed over them, watching as Hermione took her spot in the center of the second row from the front, waiting to see a hint of regret on her face. A flush of her cheeks indicating embarrassment, a shift in her posture to say she was uncomfortable.</p>
<p>Instead, Hermione took her seat, pulled out her parchment and quills and gave him a pointed look, a smirk spreading across her lips as an eyebrow arched up on her forehead, as if asking him if she looked like she regretted it.</p>
<p>She didn't look like she regretted anything.</p>
<p>Remus narrowed his eyes slightly as he gave her a quick smile, turning back to the blackboard to begin adding notes over the text they were supposed to have read since Monday's class.</p>
<p>Throughout the class, it was business as usual. Hermione asked questions, participated in discussions, and embarrassed a very irritated Theo Nott in a practical demonstration. Not so much of a hint of their little <em>escapade</em> two nights ago. He breathed a sigh of relief at the end of class, not realizing he had been holding his breath nearly the entire three hour period.</p>
<p>As he arranged his quills on his desk, shifting the ink pot to the spot he preferred it to be, he heard the sound of a throat clearing and the smell of jasmine and vanilla filled his nose.</p>
<p>Remus looked up and smiled, "Hermione," he said.</p>
<p>"Remus," she dipped her head in greeting. "Still haven't met with a muggle mind healer about this need to straighten your quills?"</p>
<p>Remus chuckled, "No, as I've said, I'm sure there's far more interesting things they'd want to attend to first, anyway."</p>
<p>"Like your obsession with sweets?" she asked, pointing to the bowl of small, individually wrapped chocolates sitting on the edge of his desk. She leaned over to pluck one out of the dish, keeping eye contact with him as she unwrapped it and placed it on the center of her tongue before closing her mouth.</p>
<p>Remus inhaled through his nose and could smell the chocolate, along with her own sweet scent. "Amongst other things," he mumbled, his voice coming out far more strained than he would have liked.</p>
<p>Hermione's mouth twisted to the side as she bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to smile at him, "You know, I can help with some of those."</p>
<p>"Can you?" he asked.</p>
<p>She nodded, "I've heard that I have a knack for satisfying cravings for sweets." Hermione spoke slowly, her lips, teeth, and tongue curling around every word as she said them.</p>
<p>Remus swallowed, feeling his trousers tighten a bit. "Is that… Is that so?"</p>
<p>"Mhmm," she hummed. "I've got a book on it, if you'd like me to drop by tonight to show you?"</p>
<p>Remus' eyes widened a fraction as he looked up at her from his desk, her eyes blazing into him. "After dinner?" he asked.</p>
<p>"After dinner," she agreed.</p>
<p>She gave him a beaming smile and adjusted the straps on her bag, shouldering the weight of the books as she turned and crossed the room. She stopped just before the door, turning back to look at him, "Oh, and Remus?"</p>
<p>"Yes?" He asked, his voice thick.</p>
<p>"Don't lock the door. I don't intend on knocking."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Mega love to my alpha Mayghaen17. Thank you for encouraging my love of Hoemione to get me to write something. <br/>Please remember to leave a review! I really appreciate them!<br/>xo</p></blockquote></div></div>
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